Aberration
by Drag0nfirE5
Summary: Piper Williams was as weird as they came. She was known as 'Weirdo' by her best friend, and all of her gaming friends even called her that. She was pretty content in life until it was cut short. Now she must try to save the line of Durin all while being an average, martial arts loving female with an attitude a mile wide. What could go wrong? (Self insert, follows mostly book)
1. Chapter 1

_I am not dead guys! I started working on a book, and this year has been very busy for me. I have been working on all of my stories, but I wanted to start this one because my inner nerd needs to show even further! Now sit back and enjoy the story!_

 _Disclaimer: I only own my OCs_

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A groan sounded in a dark bedroom as an annoying beep echoed. Blue eyes glared at the alarm clock signifying it was 6:30 in the morning and the young woman had to get ready for work. "Stupid insomnia...being a fucking dick," she growled as she smacked the alarm clock to shut it up.

With a sigh, the twenty-three year old rolled out of bed and headed to the attached bathroom before getting ready for the day. The young woman worked retail for a living, so she was well aware she had to put on her best face regardless of how she was feeling. In her opinion, it was one of the many disadvantages of working retail. Despite her personality, she didn't really care for most people. But no matter, she had to smile and get over her anti-social behavior for seven hours.

As soon as the brunette finished her morning routine and ate her breakfast, she entered the bathroom once more before grabbing her hair dryer to dry her short hair. Thankfully the length allowed it to be fully taken care of in a matter of minutes despite how thick and how much hair she had on her head. She did one quick look-over at her appearance (not that she really cared) before heading out the door. Piper was very happy at her job. She worked as a key-holder in one of the many stores in the town of Sevierville, Tennessee. There was little to no drama at the store, and she loved all of her fellow coworkers. If she had a complaint, it would be all the traffic that came with living in a tourist town. Thankfully, that left her overall happy in her life. She didn't have many friends, but those who were her friends she was loyal to.

As she drove, she frowned at the annoyance of her knee brace. About two and a half months ago she had accidently dislocated her knee while in martial arts. Piper wasn't an average girl; instead of shopping, getting her nails done, or anything like that, she preferred going to the dojo, gaming, and any other activity along those lines. She was always happy to learn the next new thing or even just pick up a book and read. Because she enjoyed working out, she wasn't skinny. Piper stood at an even five foot tall, but she made up for her height with her muscle. She had a flat stomach, but she had broad shoulders, wide hips, and built to be athletic.

Piper's day went by as it usually did at work; from people commenting on her harem pants or her dragon necklace to her informing people on the salt lamps or something else within the store, conversations were always rolling to make people feel welcomed. The Himalayan salt lamps and the essential oils seemed to be the more popular items within the store it seemed. Piper grimaced as rain began to pour down; it was Spring, so rain showers were always sporadic and it irritated her. Rain always made her feel drowsy; she preferred the rain when she was at home, curled up in a blanket, and reading a book. "It always seems to rain when I'm close to getting off when I open..." the twenty-three year old sighed.

The assistant manager laughed slightly, "You'll be okay, it's just water."

This resulted in the key-holder hissing much like a cat. "I hate rain..." she grumbled.

"Aw, it's okay. It'll go away soon," the short brunette mused; the assistant manager had recently dyed her hair black.

"Thanks, Amanda," Piper chuckled.

Piper was glad March wasn't as busy of a season in comparison to the summer season; hell, rod run weekend was worse despite it being only a few weekends a year. She despised the traffic that came with the rod runs more than anything in the world. During that weekend it would take anyone driving two to three hours just to go one mile in bumper to bumper traffic. March was very quiet in comparison and as boring as it could get at work, it needed to balance out to give the employees a break from the busy season.

Four o'clock finally rolled around, and the twenty-three year old was finally able to head home from work. The ride home was going well, or at least it was. While on Collier Drive, the young woman was driving, minding her own business, when another car came flying around the curve at sixty miles an hour while texting. Needless to say, the other driver had managed to cross over the middle lane, to the lane Piper was in, and it resulted in a head-on collision. The brunette felt a sharp pain in her neck before she found herself looking over the wreckage. Piper was confused as she stared at her now destroyed car, and frowned as she saw her body in said car; her neck was twisted in an odd angle. "What the hell is happening?" she asked herself.

She looked down at her hands, and if it were possible, she would have frowned more. Her hands seemed to e transparent. "Did-Did I just die?" the brunette wondered.

The other driver quickly rushed to Piper's car despite her own injuries (adrenaline and all) and looked at the once lively girl in horror. Piper scoffed at the driver's reaction. She felt no sympathy for her considering it was her fault that the accident happened. The other driver had bleach blonde hair, expensive clothes, car, and probably had the latest phone. She didn't look to be older than the age of eighteen, but it also could have been the make-up she was wearing.

Piper glared down at the girl as she waited. She tried moving, but it was useless. All she could do was watch as an ambulance pulled up to the scene. She sighed as they hauled her body out of the car and onto the ambulance along with the girl in the other car. Piper found out the hard way she was still attached to her body as the people tried to bring her back to life. So many thoughts were running through the now deceased girl's mind, mostly her worrying over her friends reactions about her death. Piper may have been twenty-three, but she knew her car payments and family would be taken care of thanks to her life insurance policy she chose to invest in. She felt a pain in her heart when she thought about her niece and nephews, and it hurt more when she thought of her boyfriend; he had only loved one other person before her, and now she had left him because of an idiot. Life was truly unfair.

The young woman watched all the failed attempts at bringing her back before the doctor finally pronounced her dead. Piper clenched her ghostly fists as the doctors got hold of a couple of cops to deliver the bad news to her parents. She had hoped they'd call Shadow. Shadow had been her best friend since the seventh grade and had been the only person who didn't leave her after school. Her best friend had been there when her father died and when she needed her the most. Piper managed to make her way to the ground, instead of just floating, and began pacing back and forth for what felt like hours. She frowned when she heard the sound of hurried footsteps and she swallowed a lump in her throat as she watched her mom, stepdad, and her youngest sibling, Alicia, sob as they identified the young woman's body. She was at a loss of how to react aside from letting a few tears fall down her cheeks. "Momma...I'm okay..." she muttered, even though Piper knew she couldn't be heard.

She wished she could comfort her family, but she couldn't. Not long after her family left, Shadow and her mother drove by the hospital along with two of her friends that she gamed with and met when she was with her ex boyfriend, Victor. More tears began pouring down Piper's face as she saw her friends stare at her without any words. It hurt her knowing she would never see them again. It felt like someone had put a fist through her heart, kinda like in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom.

"We'll miss you, Weirdo," Shadow sighed; she had issues with showing emotion at times, mostly with people more than anything.

Said brunette frowned when she noticed she was becoming more and more transparent. She looked at her friends once more before letting out a dry laugh. "I love you guys. Be good, destroy the world-I mean, be on your best behavior," Piper said in her usual goodbye, as if she'd see them again tomorrow. She didn't know if anyone heard her, but she had hope her best friend did because she had always interacted with spirits growing up.

The brunette felt a pull in her body before she found herself surrounded in a bright light. She was going to accept whatever outcome was going to happen, however, she got confused as a voice spoke. "Piper, your life journey isn't over," it began. "Changes to your lifespan and a few other aspects have been modified to help you where you're going. Things will become clear once you enter this realm. Your job is to save the line of Durin."

Piper looked taken aback by the voice. "Line of Durin? The fuck are you talking about?" she questioned; she was too confused to even think straight. "Can't I just haunt someone or just do whatever happens after a person dies? Why is my lifespan important? What changes?"

There was an amused chuckle, "Everything will be made clear."

That was the last thing she heard before she found herself drifting out of consciousness. When Piper woke up, she wasn't expecting what she saw. In bewilderment, she looked at her possessions that happened to be in her car when the accident took place. "The hell is my car then?!" she shouted; a bit pissed off.

Piper gathered up her messenger bag (her bag still contained her iPod along with headphones and her solar charger, a pen and notebook, a few books [including Dragon Rider, Eragon, The Little Prince, and The Hobbit], and a pair of pajamas because she was planning on staying the night at Shadow's the day of the accident), her umbrella that she had always carried in her car, and her Tai Chi Dao that she had stayed in her trunk since she bought the real thing for martial arts practice; the real sword made an awesome sound when used properly. The brunette checked her left leg and nodded that the knee brace was indeed still where she put it, and looked at her surroundings. She ignored all her car paperwork that littered the ground and scowled at the trees surrounding her; she had no idea where she was. With a grumble, Piper stood up. "Well," she muttered, "No point in standing still...Should probably find the nearest road."

With a short destination in mind, she began making her way in a random direction. The brunette was growing increasingly frustrated as hours passed and she was still as lost as ever. Piper began muttering curse words at her situation as she continued. The young woman had soon guessed it was midday because it got increasingly warmer since she started walking. It was then she was glad to be wearing what she was. Her orangish-yellow harem pants felt like air because they hung loosely on her body, and her burgundy bralette acted as a crop top and it held the girls in despite it showing a good amount of cleavage. Needless to say, it was comfortable considering the situation she was in. Anxiety was starting to set in as the sun began to set over the Earth. With the sun setting, more realizations began setting in like, for example, she was now alive again. Earlier in the day, she had dug out her pocket knife and cut a part of her arm to see if she was alive; the brunette quickly found out that indeed she was. More questions began popping up in her mind after that incident, and she put thought into each answer she gave herself. If she was indeed alive, was it possible this was a very lucid dream? She knew she had those frequently, but she quickly came to the conclusion this was no dream. Everything smelled and felt way too real; the detail of every little thing was enough to give her doubts that this was a dream. Was she near Sevierville? Again, she answered with a no. Even if she were in the mountains, the air where she currently was seemed way too clean to be near any town.

Piper sat down as nighttime neared and rested her back against a tree. She hung her head and ran her fingers through her hair. She knew she was lost beyond any hope and no one would be looking for her because anyone who knew her saw her dead. With a sigh, she rested her head on the tree trunk and closed her eyes as tears started running down her cheeks as everything began to really sink in. She had witnessed her death and mourning to those who were closest to her, and instead of the doctors saving her, she was forced into her current situation because of an idiot. Piper began to cry until she couldn't, and sleep finally took her an hour before the sun rose.


	2. Chapter 2

_I have the second chapter ready for you guys! Please enjoy, and thank you for the reviews so far!_

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As the sun began to rise, Piper scowled at the rays of sunshine that were peaking through the leaves. She was usually not a morning person if she had little to no sleep and no coffee in her system. Coffee was the sweet nectar of life in her opinion. With a sigh, the brunette looked around her and frowned; it wasn't all just a dream like she was hoping. She shivered slightly as the morning breeze rustled he leaves, and she took that as her cue to keep on moving. Well, she was about to, but to her it all looked the same. "Well great..." she grumbled, "I guess I just pick another direction..?"

Piper pondered a bit longer before deciding on a direction and continuing her search for a road. While walking, the twenty-three year old tried to keep herself distracted as to not think about the events of yesterday despite how alone she was. 'Maybe I should set everything on fire. I'll be found then,' her thoughts mused. 'Although, the smoke alone would end up killing me...again...'

"Maybe I should try finding a wolf? That would be pretty cool to actually find one out in the wild. At the same time, it is a wild animal and I could get hurt. Be worth it though." The brunette didn't really notice, but she had started talking out loud to herself to try to drown out the mostly quiet forest. "Don't really want to come across a bear, that would not end well. what if I'm over in China or something and there are tigers? Heh, now I'm thinking of Wizard of Oz...Good job, brain; way to be as squirrely as ever. Lions, and tigers, and bears...Oh, my!" she laughed at her train of thought. "It would be amusing if someone found me right now; they'd probably think I'm bat shit crazy. That would be amusing...maybe that should be my next goal after I find a road..."

Piper had finally fallen silent as she really took in her surroundings. Everything seemed like it belonged in one of those nature photography magazines; she had never in her life seen trees as green as they were and it made her feel almost at peace. If her stomach wasn't feeling empty, she probably would have enjoyed everything that much more. The girl rubbed her stomach to try to soothe the growling; she had considered trying to find some form of vegetation to eat, but she didn't know what would be safe to consume and what could potentially kill her. So many things could go very wrong, but that didn't stop her from thinking about risking it. She loved food, so she was very tempted to just see what happened. Hours continued to pass, and Piper was feeling more and more helpless. She chewed on her lip as her nerves continued to mess with her and make her more anxious than she already was. Just as she was about to say 'fuck it' and choose to live in the forest, she finally came across a break in the trees. Needless to say, the confusion only grew as she stared at homes that were built in the sides of hills. That is when she started piecing everything together.

Piper thought back to when she heard the voice before waking up in this strange place and carefully mulled over his words. She had to save the line of Durin. She face-palmed when realization struck; she was in The Hobbit book itself. "You've got to be fucking me..." she growled. "Seriously?!"

With an eye-roll she continued going over facts. First, she finally knew where she was, and a vague idea as to why she was here; she still needed to figure out who it was that spoke to her, but she figured it was either one of the Valar or Iluvatar himself. Second, she wasn't dreaming by any means, and that meant she'd soon be getting weird looks about her outfit. And the last fact that was staring at her face was that she was currently staring at Hobbit homes. She recognized them from Tolkien's descriptions in the book. "At least they're gentle folk..." she muttered making her way to the many homes.

Piper was feeling overwhelmed with helplessness as she knocked on doors; every single Hobbit had either ignored the door entirely, slammed the door in her face shortly after opening it, or giving her a rude look and telling her to leave them be. The only plus to this was something that would be very important: she understood Westron. She sat down on the ground on a hill that wasn't in use for a home and sighed. More questions started to run through her mind, and she needed to figure out more answers before dealing with the Hobbits. They may have been gentle folk, but that didn't mean they were welcoming of anything that was strange or unusual (in her outfit, Piper fit that description).

The brunette closed her eyes and began going over any and all information. She recalled back to (she knew it had to be one of the creators) the voice that had spoken to her before waking up. He had mentioned a few changes would be made; it would seem that this was one of them. Piper then began wondering if she could speak Westron as well. 'One way to find out,' she thought.

She opened her mouth to speak, only to pause; how would she know if she was speaking it for sure? With a shrug, the twenty-three year old made a conscious effort to speak. "I am Piper," she said out loud. The young woman nodded at her results: she could speak Westron. The language rolled off her tongue in a different way than English; it felt heavier. She decided to do an experiment and said the exact same phrase without really thinking. She hummed when it came out in English. Piper had figured that like any language that wasn't a native tongue, a person would have to consciously speak it to be successfully. However, this also meant that it would take her a minute to actually communicate until she became more accustomed to it. This caused further realization that she'd have to find out if she could read or write in the common tongue as well. The brunette dug out her notebook and pen before opening her leather journal to a blank page. Like with her speaking, she paid close attention as she wrote. 'I am Piper'; it came out as the language of Middle-Earth and she could read it perfectly fine.

"At least I have that settled," Piper sighed before putting her items back into her bag.

The brunette chose to sit there for a while to give her aching feet and knee a break; she wasn't wearing shoes built for traveling, and it had resulted in blisters starting to form on her heels, ankles, and the area surrounding her toes. In frustration, she yanked her shoes off before violently throwing them in a random direction. She soon scowled at her actions before going to fetch her sandals; they may have been hurting her, but she may have use for them later.

The twenty-three year old had decided to continue trying to get help, but she did not have luck on her side. She was fixing to throw in the towel when a very nice looking Hobbit hole came into view. 'Please...if you are in fact Bilbo's home, please let him help me...' she thought desperately.

Sure enough, when she walked up to the front door to knock, none other than Bilbo Baggins answered the door. His eyes scrunched up in confusion and distaste at Piper's outfit and was obviously starting to get uncomfortable. "Can I help you?" he asked politely.

The brunette couldn't help but sigh in relief that he didn't close the door in her face. His brown curly hair stood out in many directions despite the obvious attempt to keep it tame. The Hobbit was shorter than Piper despite her height; but then she remembered that they were even shorter than Dwarves. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but I am terribly lost. I have no idea where I am (she knew that part wasn't true of her tale, but she needed to appeal to the Hobbit's caring side) and I have nowhere to go. Please, at least for a night, and I'll leave tomorrow," Piper said, wringing her hands in worry that he'd also turn her away.

The brunette knew that Bilbo didn't mind guests so long as he invited them himself, but that was a different matter entirely. The brown haired Hobbit seemed to mull over her words carefully, still unsure if he wanted to deal with a seemingly weird (despite her manners) and unusual person. He knew she wasn't a fellow Halfling, but she didn't seem to be a Dwarf or elf either. "I can help you with cleaning your home and with your garden in return," the brunette offered.

This caught the Hobbit's attention. "You know how to garden?" he inquired.

"Well, to some degree...it was one of the many hobbies I took up. I can knit better than I can garden, crochet better than I can knit, but I'm best with baking or sewing," Piper answered with a small smile.

Bilbo seemed to think for a moment before finally coming to a decision. "I don't see why not. You could probably do with a wash and some food," he stated opening the door more to let the young woman enter.

"Thank you so much," said female bowed (she thought it would be very polite of her to do so). "Piper Williams, at your service."

"Bilbo Baggins, at yours," was her reply.

The young Hobbit showed Piper one of his guest bedrooms and where she could wash up before leaving for the kitchen to make lunch for the two of them. The brunette smiled as she glanced around the home; everything was nice and tidy, and not one thing was out of place. 'May be this won't be so bad,' she thought as she got ready for a much needed bath. When she finished, she got out her clothes from her messenger bag and got dressed in her pajamas (she had brought along a bra and extra underwear with her pajamas for when she was going to stay at Shadow's).

Piper temporarily left her dirty clothes on the bed (until she knew where she could wash them) and headed to the kitchen just in time for lunch to be finished. Bilbo turned around with what looked to be a pan of fish and side of potatoes ; he paused, however, in confusion at the girl's outfit. Piper was wearing her Hayao Miyazaki themed pajamas; her pants were a light gray with black Japanese letters right underneath Totoro, and her tank top had none other than Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle. The twenty-three year old wrung her hands and fidgeted under his stare. "I apologize, these are the only other clothes I have..." she muttered.

Bilbo blushed for being caught staring at (in his opinion) her very weird outfit. In a hurry to not come off as rude, he quickly took in details. "What language is that, on your pants. I've never seen that writing before," the Halfling wondered.

Piper smiled at his change of subject. "It's Japanese. I personally know it too well, but I know that it reads 'My Neighbor Totoro' on my pants. It's a cute story," Piper tried to explain.

The Hobbit smiled as he served the brunette and the two had a relatively quiet lunch. "So where are you from?" he finally asked.

"I come from a place called America. I doubt you'd ever heard of it; it's very far away," Piper said; she frowned at the sorrow that was creeping in. "Unfortunately, I won't ever be able to return..."

"Why can't you? You seem to miss your home."

The young woman wiped at her face to get rid of a couple tears that threatened to fall. "Because," she started, "Everyone that knew me believes me to be dead... I had a terrible accident... that's how I ended up in the forest not far from here. Wondered around lost for a little over a day before finding you... I don't have anyone, Bilbo... no friends, no family, no one..." Piper finally let all her tears fall; after being through something traumatic, she needed time to recuperate.

Poor Bilbo wasn't sure how to deal with the crying girl in front of him. She seemed to have gone through a lot, and to have no one? He could relate to some extent. He himself didn't have any parents, but he did have friends. After a minute of watching the young woman cry, an idea came to his mind. "How about you wash your face and I can show you how to make smoke rings?" he suggested.

Piper couldn't help but smile and wiped away more of her tears. "I don't have a pipe, and have never smoked before," she answered.

"I have a spare one around here somewhere," he stated.

The two spent a good two hours outdoors; Piper wasn't able to make a single ring though. They both chuckled as they headed indoors. The Hobbit went to his pantry to get himself a snack while the twenty-three year old sat on the floor and began meditating. While she focused on actively breathing, she felt a pull on her soul and soon she found herself standing around in a white space. In confusion, she looked around. "Hello?" she called.

"I was wondering when you'd make your way here," the same voice as before answered.

"Who are you?" Piper questioned.

"I'm amazed you haven't figured it out yet," he mused. "I am none other than Aule, though the Dwarves call me Mahal."

"I guess that explains as to why you'd like the line of Durin save," the brunette sighed. "So other than me being able to speak Westron, what else have you changed about me? And how did you change my lifespan?"

"I gave you the lifespan of a Dwarf, so you can live up to two hundred and fifty years old so long as you don't die. That would make you currently around 83 years of age in Dwarf years," Mahal said. "As for what else I changed, that's for you to find out when the time comes."

"Thank you for being so helpful and making me feel old at the same time," Piper droned before her soul felt like it was being pulled back to her body.

She opened her eyes to see Bilbo watching her curiously. "Ah, sorry, I was meditating. It's something I like to do to center myself. It's relaxing."

Bilbo just nodded and a comfortable silence fell between the two. The Hobbit had informed Piper that it was just the beginning of March, and he surprised her further the following morning when he offered her to stay; turns out that he liked her company despite her quirky personality.

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 _I am hoping to stick with this story more than the others and actually keep it true to the books. The movies were fine and all, however, it's almost night and day difference between the two._

 _Review from SunnySides: She does have the book, and she has read it. The reason it didn't register is because she had too much going on at that moment. Dying and suddenly going through what she had would put you through a lot mentally I'd assume. I'm hoping to keep Piper as real as possible considering she's a self-insert. Everything she can do is something that I myself have experience with. For example, I really did dislocate my knee in martial arts, and I truly can knit and so on. I don't want to rush into the story too fast, so probably a bit slow to start, and I won't be doing Ones/Soulmates. I was doing research to see if they were mentioned in the books or series in general, and they aren't. It was mentioned that only female dwarves initiate interest because they are so few in the population. This is why so many of the Dwarves have hobbies. I also don't know if I want romance to happen or not or with who if she does get paired up with someone._

 _Anyways, thank you my lovelies for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Holy cow you guys, it took me a while but I finally finished writing the chapter! I apologize for the wait! Thankfully it's the slow season so hopefully I'll be able to update a little easier. Now enjoy!_

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Piper had been officially living with Bilbo for the duration of a month, and she had become close friends with the Hobbit. The Halfling had given her many gardening tips, taught her how to make smoke rings (she could only do small ones), and even gave her pointers to improve her seriously lacking cooking skills. The young woman had even improved in speaking Westron some. She didn't have to concentrate as hard, but she'd occasionally let English slip. When it did, this confused the Hobbit, though he didn't question it. Piper had been hesitant of letting Bilbo get close to her as a friend, but she had decided she had better start making friends unless she wanted her depression to take over her life.

The young woman had a hard time adjusting to this life. Because insomnia was so frequent for her, it pretty much had doubled since her anxiety and stress amplified it. Piper could never handle stress well, so nine times out of ten her personality would either swing to anger or panic. Panic won most of the time, much to her dismay. Dealing with that time of month was also something she had to adjust to; rather than what she was used to, she found that cotton and linen were her best friends since tampons and pads did not exist in Middle Earth.

Bilbo Baggins had to adjust to Piper living with him. She wasn't anything like he was used to. Her personality wasn't something he'd expected and even blushed when her vulgar side came out. She wasn't rude unless provoked, but she was more perverse than anything he had ever encountered. It honestly scared him a bit. Anytime the two went out and were being served in public, he heard her, more than once, comment on a Hobbit in an inappropriate way. However, he also realized she used it as more of a front to keep people from seeing who she really was. She was both kind and loving, but also very thoughtful about everything she did. Not to mention she could be witty if she was feeling challenged. Bilbo could tell that she was afraid of something, but he couldn't quite tell what she feared.

Taking her out to find clothes to wear that were appropriate had been a handful as well; Bilbo had insisted she went with typical clothing for a woman (a dress, or a nice blouse and skirt), but Piper had frowned at the idea of wearing anything but pants or shorts. When the brunette explained what shorts were, the poor Hobbit was uncomfortable with the thought. Bilbo had taken her to a tailor to get her clothing, and he found it to be a challenge to get the girl to agree to a dress. He had tried to bribe Piper with a pair of pants if she would agree to the dress. The young woman had only complied with the terms because she convinced Bilbo to get her two pairs of pants.

Piper had been working more and more with her meditation; not only did it calm her down immensely, it helped her with clarifying the path that layed before her. The twenty-three year old knew mostly what was ahead of them, well if she actually went with the company to reclaim the dwarves' homeland. She knew she was asked to save the line of Durin, but she didn't want to go through all of the trials that the company went through. She did not want to deal with the orcs, she disliked the idea of climbing trees to escape the wargs (she failed when it came to climbing trees), and she loathed the idea of dealing with the spiders. She didn't fear spiders, but she hated the idea of them being near her. Knowing how big these ones were? Piper had a feeling she'd become get arachnophobia by the time they ventured into Mirkwood.

It was April twenty-fifth, and the day started off like any other. Piper would wake up, get breakfast started (if Bilbo didn't beat her to it), and the two would engage in many different topics and then would go outside to smoke a pipe. The young woman was still in awe over Bilbo's smoke rings. Piper watched as Bilbo sent one far off into the distance; she could feel his pride from being able to actually cause the ring to float off like that. The brunette huffed before attempting to outshine Mr. Baggins, but after only a short bit her smoke ring disappeared. _'One day I'll make a god one,'_ she thought to herself.

It was then that she noticed an older man approaching with a walking stick, long beard, and a blue pointy hat. Piper knew who this was, and she knew she wasn't ready just yet to meet the famous wizard. "Excuse me, I need to powder my nose," the twenty-three year old said before heading into the house. The reason she didn't want to meet him then was because both Bilbo and Gandalf needed to discuss the adventure between the two of them. That, and the brunette needed to figure out how to convince everyone to let her on the journey.

Piper would have to be clever with her approach. Saying she was a seer would potentially get herself into some serious trouble, but she wasn't sure if she had other options. If she were to tell them 'she just knew things' they may take her as a crazy person. The young woman was aware that she needed to gain everyone's trust, but that would take time considering how long it took the company to accept Bilbo as one of their own. Piper was well aware how everything happened in the book, but so much was also left out; for this reason alone, she had to be cautious moving forward. The brunette went into her familiar meditation sitting position and began actively breathing while going over more potential scenarios in her mind.

The brunette wasn't sure how much time had passed before Bilbo entered the home. "Oh why did I have to invite him over for tea?" she heard the Hobbit exasperate.

Piper raised an eyebrow as she opened her eyes. "Invite who over?" she questioned despite knowing perfectly well what had taken place.

"Gandalf. He had come over talking about an adventure and then I invited him over for tea tomorrow," Bilbo explained; he was heading towards his calendar to write it down so he wouldn't forget about the wizard's visit.

Piper hummed in response at the Hobbit's answer. _'Tomorrow is when I'll have to have a solid plan,'_ she thought. _'Everything will be taking place and I'll need to be prepared. Hopefully my knee won't be too much of an issue.'_

The young woman didn't hear Bilbo approach, nor did it register that he was now in the same room. The Halfling watched Piper as her face scrunched up as if she was deeply troubled, or trying to answer the world's hardest question. "Are you okay?" he finally asked after a moment of silence.

The brunette's head snapped up at Bilbo's question and she forced out a smile. "Yeah, just thinking..." she answered.

"You look troubled," the hobbit pressed.

Piper chewed her lip for a moment. "I am.." she started slowly. "But I can't exactly say what is bothering me..."

"Not able to share this?"

"No, but maybe eventually...it's just not something I can share just yet."

Bilbo nodded before heading to the pantry to get some cakes; he did have a stressful start to his day.

The following day went by as any day, though Piper was more anxious then she usually was. She was going to be meeting the dwarves today, and that meant that tomorrow she'd be going on an adventure with the company. So many things could go wrong, and she was well aware of that. Piper could tell that Bilbo had completely forgotten about Gandalf until the front door bell rang; the poor Hobbit quickly rushed to put the kettle on, and put out another saucer, cup, and a few extra cakes for his guest. Bilbo remained silent as he opened the door and his face went from smiling to confusion as he stared at the blue bearded dwarf.

Piper was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea unable to see the guest, though she didn't need to see to know who was at the door. "Dwalin, at your service!" an unfamiliar voice called out.

"Bilbo Baggins at yours!" was the Dwarf's reply. It was silent for a moment before the Hobbit spoke again. "I am just about to take tea; pray come and have some with me."

Piper smiled at the Halfling's politeness; he was truly a kind Hobbit. The young woman heard approaching footsteps, and she looked up to see none other than Dwalin. The brunette couldn't help but notice the Dwarf's beard tucked into his belt. "Piper Williams at your service," she said with a small smile.

"Dwalin at yours," the Dwarf bowed.

Dwalin and Bilbo joined Piper to drink tea and eat cakes. Piper noticed a few curious glances thrown her way from the Dwarf, but he didn't try to strike up a conversation. Bilbo didn't even get to three cakes before the bell once again rang. This continued for quite a bit while Piper and Bilbo played host to the Dwarves that were showing up in the house. After Balin came the two blonde Dwarves Fili and Kili; Dori followed suite along with Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin. Bilbo and Piper were running around like crazy to keep the group happy as the company of Dwarves laughed. Finally, there was a sound that Piper was waiting for: the sound of a walking stick tapping the door. Though she barely heard it over the ruckus in the dining area.

The young woman was too busy to see Bilbo answer the door, and too busy to see the Dwarves fall over each other as said Hobbit opened the door. Piper was running back and forth grabbing drinks and food for the Dwarves as fast as she could. "Now we are all here!" Piper heard Gandalf say. "Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the late comers to eat and drink! What's that? Tea? No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me."

"And for me," Thorin Piped in.

The other Dwarves continued with their requests, and as Piper darted from one room to the other, she passed by the newly arrived Dwarves; little did she know that the wizard did spot her which caused Gandalf to grow more curious than ever. Not only did the wizard not recognize her from anywhere, but he knew that Bilbo Baggins was indeed a bachelor and she wasn't living there a month ago. Sneaking away momentarily, Gandalf approached the brunette while she was looking for the wine that was requested. "I don't believe we've met," he said; this caused the twenty-three year old to yelp and quickly whip around.

"Sorry, you startled me; um, my name is Piper Williams," she replied. "Bilbo took me in to help me out. I managed to get helplessly lost when I found myself here..."

"Quite an unusual name. Where do you hail from?" the wizard pressed.

Piper's face fell and she subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself and looked down to avoid eye contact. "Somewhere very far away... I can't go back... I don't- I just..." she sighed before her eyes landed on the wine. She picked up the bottle along with items that had been requested and began to shimmy past the wizard. "I don't want to keep them waiting..."

Gandalf watched her curiously as she left. He noticed the raw emotion that stood out on her face; the hurt that took over her features was very alarming to him. He just watched as she seemingly shoved her emotions aside to play the perfect host. Dinner went by fairly quickly, and soon the dwarves were singing as they helped clean up. Piper found herself grinning like mad when it started, and she grew curious when they went to fetch the instruments. As the dwarves sang about their homeland, both Bilbo and Piper felt entranced by the song. It was then that the young woman seemed to shove her nerves aside and briefly forget about the fears creeping up on her. She decided she was going to help them in any way she could, even if it got her killed. Again...

Piper's eyes locked on Bilbo as he shakily stood. It was then that the music stopped. "Where are you going?" Thorin inquired.

"What about a little light?" Bilbo had replied apologetically.

Piper blinked as realization sunk in; it was indeed rather dark. "We like the dark," said all the dwarves. "Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn!"

"Of course!" Bilbo said as he sat down quickly; however, he missed the stool and sat in the fender, knocking over the poker and shovel with a crash.

"Hush!" Gandalf stated. "Let Thorin speak!"

Piper was well aware of the conversation that was about to take place, and because her short attention span she decided to go into a meditative state as she leaned against the wall. She was content up until Bilbo shrieked causing the young woman to jump and the dwarves to spring to their feet and knocking the table over in the process. Gandalf struck a blue light on the end of his magic staff. There on the hearth-rug shaking was poor Bilbo. the only thing that was heard being said as he knelt was 'struck by lightning'. After the dwarves set him up comfortably in the drawing room, they all went back to business.

The company talked amongst themselves for a while before they began expressing their doubts about the hobbit. They were unaware that mister Baggins was listening to the dwarves sharing their concerns about him. Eventually, Bilbo did indeed wonder back into the room; Piper knew that his Took side had won. He began giving his spell of how he would show them. That was when the young woman decided to chime in. "Well, I may not be a Hobbit, but if Bilbo won't go, I'd gladly take his place," she spoke; her nerves set in when everyone looked at her.

"I'm sorry, but an adventure is no place for a lady," Dwalin declined.

"You'd be likely to slow us down," another dwarf chimed in.

Piper scowled and a dangerous look appeared in her eye at the thought of a challenge. "I'll have you know I've done my fair share of fighting and can take care of myself. Not to mention the path that lays ahead will be nothing short of challenging and you'll need all the help you can get," she snapped crossing her arms. "Like I said, I'm going. Period. You won't be talking me out of it. I'm as stubborn as they com. Even if Bilbo does go, you can still count me in. I'm not afraid of adventure."

Everyone just stared at her which caused her to look down and start fidgeting. "Aside from fighting, I do know a thing or two about traveling..." Piper muttered.

Gandalf studied the young woman for a moment; he was unsure of the girl who seemingly came from nowhere. However, something was nagging at him to let her join them. She had a tell about her that screamed that she knew something. He didn't quite know what she held knowledge to, but the wizard was certain it was a great deal. "Then it's settled. Miss Piper will be joining us on this journey," Gandalf decided.

This caused an argument to break out; the dwarves didn't want Bilbo coming along, let alone a woman who could potentially get hurt and slow them down. Piper nodded in satisfaction about being able to go on the adventure; if Gandalf said it was okay, then she knew she was going. It didn't matter to her if the dwarves approved or not. They were stubborn and would be very skeptical of her until she was able to prove herself among them. Without saying a word, Piper drifted into her room silently and started prepping for the journey ahead. The twenty-three year old pulled out The Hobbit from her messenger bag and flipped to the page where the current events were taking place. Sure, there would be changes to the current dialogue going on between Gandalf and the company, but she wasn't worried about it.

Piper let out a sigh and began packing everything she thought she would need while on their journey. She didn't know if she could be of any help, but she knew the path and the events that would occur. She had to be strong regardless of what could happen in the future. The young woman sat on her bed and chewed on her bottom lip; she was nervous, scared, excited, and oh so much more. Tomorrow would mark the start of an adventure, and along with it came the quest to save the line of Durin.


	4. Chapter 4

_Guys, I know it has been too long, and there is no excuse. I've been excruciatingly busy with three jobs and my lack of motivation has been a killer. I won't make promises of quick updates, but I can promise that I'll try. Enjoy the newest chapter my lovelies!_

 _Disclaimer: I only own Piper. Piper is mine._

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Piper had a hard time sleeping due to her mind running a thousand miles a minute as she ran detail after detail to ensure the safety of every member of the company. She had to be sure that almost everyone would make it out alive and that everything followed the book as close as possible. The young woman sat up and stretched to ease her stiff muscles; tossing and turning never did her any good. _'Time to get up...best finish packing and making sure I have everything I need...'_ she thought to herself.

She put on her pants and cream colored blouse before washing her face and putting the remaining items into either her backpack that Bilbo bought her or her messenger bag. The twenty-three year old ran her hand through her hair s she chewed on her lip. Everything she owned was presently in her bags with the exception of her room decor and furniture (obviously). Finally, Piper exited the room with her bags, placed said items on the floor by the door, and then made her way to the kitchen to start making breakfast for the group of Dwarves who would soon wake up. Sure enough, as soon as the scent of breakfast drifted from the kitchen the Dwarves began filing in to eat quickly before the journey. It wasn't long before dishes were piled in the kitchen and the company along with Piper made their way to the Green Dragon Inn. The company was mostly silent as they made their way to Bywater; Piper spent the trip mostly zoned out as she ran everything through her head. So many details had to be mulled over just so things stayed on track, and to make sure she didn't forget anything. Though, the girl did notice a few of the Dwarves throw glances her way. She had a few theories as to why that was, but she didn't voice anything. She knew that being a girl and going on an adventure in this time period was rather bizarre. It wasn't what women did. She didn't take offense to it but it made her self-conscious.

It wasn't long before they made it to the inn, and Piper silently cursed her knee for aching like it was. She had little patience when it came to dealing with pain, and she fiddled with her knee brace for a bit to make sure it was still in place. As Thorin went inside to see about the ponies, the young woman crossed her legs then sat on the ground outside of the building. "I'll wait out here in case Bilbo shows up," she said even though she knew very well he'd show up at the last minute.

She saw the Dwarves look at her from the corner of their eyes as they followed Thorin inside, but none of them said anything; soon all were inside with the exception of one. Piper hadn't really noticed until a shadow seemed to linger over her. The twenty-three year old furrowed her eyebrows before looking up at none other than Balin. The two stared at each other before the Dwarf got too uncomfortable of the awkward atmosphere. "So what makes you want to go on this journey?" he asked.

Piper shrugged her shoulders and began playing with the dirt on the ground; she never could look at someone while talking to them. "Well, I know what it's like to lose a home, and you have the opportunity to get yours back... I want to help where I can because I know it'll be such a great accomplishment for you guys to do so. To be a part of that kind of adventure isn't something I would willingly pass up," she finally replied. "I know it seems a bit ridiculous, but this is all I have, and not to mention Bilbo is my only friend... I swore I'd help him since he was kind enough to take me in when everyone else turned me away..."

Balin was slightly taken aback by her answer. He was completely unaware that her reasoning would be what it was. He, like the others, thought she was doing this for selfish reasons or something else along those lines. "Most women don't really care for adventures," the older Dwarf stated, "It's just peculiar."

Piper moved a bit on the ground to readjust herself, "Maybe, but where I'm from it's not so unusual. Just about everyone traveled if they could afford it. Definitely not a cheap opportunity. My sister was lucky though. Her college paid for her to study abroad in South Korea for two semesters, and-" she froze as she looked up at the Dwarf's confused face. "Sorry, I tend to ramble," she muttered.

Balin shook his head. He had no idea what a 'college' was or where this 'South Korea' was. It even sounded foreign to him. He decided to gloss over it and ask something else instead. "You have a sister?"

Piper went stiff and swallowed a lump that formed in her throat at the thought of her family. "Well, I had a sister along with two brothers.. We were very close for the most part... always had each others' backs... Now... Hey, looks like they're finishing up!" she quickly changed the subject as she stood up and went to the stable with the company. Without delay they all began saddling and packing the ponies with all of their supplies. Once Piper finished with her few items, she helped the others where she could. It wasn't long before everyone was on the ponies with the exception of Balin (he was still at the inn door).

The twenty-three year old rubbed her left knee a bit since she aggravated it while mounting on her pony. "You won't have any problems, will you?" Piper heard one of the Dwarves ask. She looked up in the direction of the voice to see Kili looking at her for an answer. Next to him was his brother Fili.

The young woman looked down at her hands before shaking her head. "No, I'm familiar with horseback. The only thing I may end up having issues with would be me knee; had a bad injury a few months back. I'm mostly recovered, but it doesn't stop the occasional pain," she replied.

"What did you do?" Fili asked growing curious.

"I landed on my foot wrong during a form of fighting and my kneecap popped out of place. I couldn't walk for a couple of months," she stated.

"What kind of fighting can you do?" it was Fili this time to ask.

"It's a form of martial arts called Kung Fu. It's a kind of physical fighting used for defense. My specific Kung Fu style is Wu Xing Shan Fa, or five animal style. In martial arts you have different forms called Kata within each style. I was working on my Leopard form when it happened," Piper explained. "Being accident prone runs in the family."

The two brothers just stared at her after her explanation. They've never heard of anything like that, and it was absolutely different. "You're very different for a human," Kili pointed out.

Piper hummed thought as the group began moving their ponies (the smallest one was saved for Bilbo). "That's a fair statement," she began, "I'm very different. I've been called peculiar by many people. Hell, my best friend even called me 'Weirdo' before..." She had to stop herself. "I'll save that story for another time..."

Pretty soon the company were out of the stable to see Bilbo standing there talking to Balin. Before long, all were officially heading towards the Misty Mountains. Gandalf met them not long after and gave Bilbo his pipe, tobacco, and handkerchief that he had forgotten at home. Now, Piper wasn't one to sit still for very long, and her attention span wasn't the best, no not even an hour into the journey and she began fidgeting and trying to keep herself entertained. Sure the company was sharking stories and even playing music on their instruments, but she just felt left out. The twenty-three year old sighed and looked up at the sky; she wondered how it would feel to be a cloud. No worries, just drifting in the wind and carrying water. It seemed like such a simple life in comparison to being a human.

Piper chose to remain silent as the company talked and sang. She didn't care about being noticed at the moment; she'd rather be invisible than deal with the possibilities that her past would be brought up; she wasn't quite ready to open up to everyone yet. With a sigh, she readjusted herself on the saddle so that she was riding side saddle o ease her butt from going numb. The young woman then decided to pull out Dragon Rider to do reading along the journey. That was how most of the day went other than stopping to eat along the way. Piper stopped paying attention to the time of day as she started to nod off a couple of times thanks to only getting a few hours of sleep. During that time, Gandalf slowed his horse down so he was right next to their female companion. "I wouldn't say it wise to fall asleep on a horse," the wizard stated.

Piper jumped slightly at being addressed and she quickly rubbed her eyes to fight the sleep. "I know, I just didn't get much sleep. I have issues falling and staying asleep," she replied.

"That does sound like a problem," Gandalf hummed.

"You get used to it after a while. I don't like it, but it's an issue I'm all too familiar with."

"Maybe you just have a lot on your mind."

Piper looked at the wizard before looking down at her horse. She knew what he was trying to do, but she was aware she shouldn't keep everything a secret. "That is part of it... I've never been able to handle stress well," she sighed. "Let's just say these last two months have been extremely rough for me..."

"Would you like to share?" Gandalf pressed.

The young female shook her head, "No...at least not right now... I'm not sure if you guys would believe me if I told you anyways."

"Well, you shouldn't hold on to anything that'll weigh you down."

"I know... just let me find the right time and place to tell everyone... my secrets are not meant to be known just yet..."

"Your secrets are yours to tell."

Piper nodded before patting her horse's neck, "I will tell, but when I know the time is right."

Gandalf seemed to accept this answer as he headed back to the front of the group. Piper put her book in her bag as she stretched some; riding for hours sure made one stiff.

The group traveled overnight, and by morning the sky looked ready to start pouring at any given moment. The group's singing had long since stopped as everyone became grouchy from the long night; Piper wearily glanced at the sky as the gray clouds seemed to grow darker. As the company continued on, it wasn't long before raindrops started falling from the sky. It was in that moment that the twenty-three year old pulled out her collapsible umbrella that was always on her person. When she did open it up, the Dwarves looked at her strangely; they never saw anything like it before. When Bilbo pulled out something similar (he saw Piper in the garden with the umbrella one rainy day last month and tried to make one himself) they all were just curious.

"What is that?" Fili questioned.

"It's called an umbrella; it helps repel rain to keep me dry. No matter the amount of rain I will not get wet," Piper answered with a yawn. "I don't like the idea of my books getting wet..."

"Rain is something that usually happens when traveling," Balin put in.

"I figured as much," the young female muttered in English; her exhaustion was finally setting in. "The rain makes me so sleepy..."

Piper got extremely self conscious when the company all looked at her curiously. She stared at them blankly as she thought about what just took place. It took a second, but it finally clicked; she realized she spoke English. "I'm sorry, where I'm from that's the common language... I didn't meant to let it slip..."

"No need to apologize, we've just never heard it before," Balin stated.

The twenty-three year old nodded before silence once again fell over the group. Due to the now pouring rain, everyone's moods turned grouchy. They were also no longer on horseback so the tired horses could get some relief. As the day went on, the weather grew cold, and that was something Piper had a huge issue with; she never could handle the cold well. The wind and rain remained relentless in the Lone-Lands, and despite trying to stay warm and ignore her aching joints, Piper was having no such luck. While her left knee was indeed recovering, it wasn't ready for this kind of journey. The company ignored Bilbo's complaints as they marched on, and hours began to pass as the sun started to set. Finally, the rain began to stop as the moon shown through the clouds and everyone agreed to set up camp.

The company found a spot under some trees where the ground was mostly dry. Just before setting up camp the group did take notice that Gandalf had wondered off at some point. Piper was too tired to really think about what was next, but the feeling that something was going to happen nagged at her. She wanted to ignore it; she was cold, tired, and aching. She sat down as the Dwarves attempted to light a fire and chase a pony that spooked for some reason. Piper frowned as the group began to argue, and once again it started to pour causing her to reopen her umbrella. That's when the company decided to investigate a nearby fire; needless to say, this caused Piper to sigh since that meant more walking (though she wasn't too surprised considering just how far the company had to travel to get to their destination).

The company cautiously made their way up the hill, and that's when it clicked for Piper: the trolls. This was important to the story because of the weapons that were in the troll cave. A wave of nerves hit Piper and she immediately began chewing her lip. What should she do in this situation? Should she join the fight, or try to distract the trolls like Gandalf? As these thoughts continued in her mind, they grew closer to the campfire and the young woman began to anxiously glancing around. This caught the attention of Bilbo who was well aware of what that meant. Anytime he saw her deep in thought when a problem came up that required a careful approach she would chew on her bottom lip; she looked worried about what will happen.

In the month that Bilbo got to know Piper, the Hobbit learned many things about her; one was that she was a problem solver. She thought things through before acting if the situation called for it, and her telltale sign was her lip chewing. When it came to simple things she'd just act on impulse, but she knew when to think before acting. That was what she was currently doing. This was also confirmed by her face randomly scrunching up and longer blinking of the eyes. Soon they passed by an old farm house, and when they were close enough as a group, Thorin said something that Bilbo was not looking forward to. "Now it's the Burglar's turn," the Dwarf had said referring to the Hobbit. It was time for Bilbo to scout ahead.

"Be careful," Piper said as her friend scurried off.

That was when she decided to sneak off after the Hobbit when the Dwarves tied the horses to the nearby trees. Living with Bilbo taught Piper to walk quieter than most humans. Sure she wasn't quite as stealthy as a Hobbit, but it was just enough to get her campsite where she watched Bilbo stick his hand in one of the troll's pockets. "'Ere, 'oo are you?" the coin purse that Bilbo had grabbed squeaked.

That was when the troll who the Hobbit was trying to pick pocket grabbed poor Bilbo by the neck before he could escape into the woods. Piper hid behind the trees as they tried to figure out who it was they just caught. She took a deep breath as the trolls began to bicker: she needed to decide on what she was going to do. The moment came too soon for two of the trolls to start wrestling one another and for the third to smack them with a branch which allowed Bilbo to escape. That was when Balin entered the clearing which caused the trolls to howl with disgust. One by one the Dwarves arrived, and one by one the trolls (who were hiding at that point with sacks after stuffing Balin into one) took the company by surprise and stuffed each into an individual sack. Piper had finally decided to act. As cautiously as she could, she entered the clearing. She tried to focus on the sounds of the forest instead of the pounding in her ears caused by her heart that reminded her of how scared she was. It was in that moment a troll revealed itself and tried to catch her in a sack; however, Piper was ready and managed to get out of the way and proceeded to dart towards the sacks stuffed with Dwarves to try to free them. That was when Thorin also came into the clearing. The Dwarf grabbed a branch that was on fire and managed to hit one of the trolls in one of his eyes. Piper continued to dodge while also trying to let the Dwarves out of their makeshift prison; she came close to a couple different ones, but she wasn't successful. Piper thought she was doing good, well, until she heard Bilbo get kicked as the sound of his grunt filled the area. Concerned for her friend, she looked in his direction which was a mistake. At that same time a sack was forced over her head, and after a howl of pain from a troll, all went silent; this meant Thorin had also been stuffed into a sack.

It wasn't long until the rolls were one again bickering, but this time of how to cook the captured company. Piper deep down knew that Gandalf was the one who was causing them to bicker, but it didn't ease her rising panic. She tried to ignore the fact that the trolls were talking about the best way to kill/eat them, but it was near impossible even though the young woman knew they would be fine. It didn't help that she had a fear of her entire head being covered because it made her feel like she was losing oxygen. This caused her heart to pound even more from fear. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of bickering about what socks Thorin was wearing to squash him into jelly first, in a voice that sounded like one of the troll's came the words 'Dawn take you al, and be stone to you'!

After a short moment, Piper finally recognized Gandalf's voice. "Excellent!" he exclaimed.

The twenty-three year old listened to the wizard's footsteps to try to distract herself from the noticeable lack of air. There was rustling as Gandalf helped Bilbo out of the tree, and soon the enough the two began helping the others out of the sacks. When Piper was finally let out she immediately darted to the nearest tree and climbed as high as she could before hugging her knees close to her body, closed her eyes, and started to actively breathe. She had been scared; being close to death yet again? The thought frightened her. Sure, she knew she'd be fine, but in the moment? It seemed she really was about to die.

The company watched as she darted off and climbed. Thorin was about to say something snarky when Bilbo spoke. "Leave her alone right now," he started. "This is what she does when 'she's trying to control her anxiety' as she explains it..."

"She shouldn't have come if it was going to do this," Thorin stated.

Bilbo shook his head, "It wasn't her coming along that started it. Something specific caused it... I only know this because I've seen this happen more than once when I first took her in..."

The company watched her for a second before Thorin turned to Bilbo. "Why didn't you return when you saw the trolls, or hoot like an owl?" the Dwarf prince asked.

That was when Bilbo tried to explain what happened. After the Dwarves were satisfied with their answer and Bomber questioned as to why the Hobbit would consider pick-pocketing, Gandalf pointed out that there would be a hidden cave for the trolls to hide during the day. The company decided to follow the trail up the hill, and that was when Piper finally gained control of her emotions and she slowly began to climb down. When she was finally on the ground, she dusted herself off before she followed the footprints to catch up to the company. By the look of it, the company just opened the cave up with the key that Bilbo had found as Piper arrived. The Hobbit caught sight of the young woman, and concern washed over him. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Piper forced a small smile, "Yeah, I just have a fear of suffocating. I don't particularly like things being forced over my head."

Bilbo nodded in acceptance before the company entered the cave. They glanced around for a moment before they grabbed all they could and left before they got too much stink on them; trolls didn't smell too pleasant. Once they all settled around the campfire, they made dinner (or rather breakfast since it was now morning) and they finally were able to fall asleep much to Piper's delight.


	5. Chapter 5

_Another chapter is ready for you guys! I'm slowly but surely getting motivated again, so yay. Enjoy my lovelies!_

 _Disclaimer: I only own Piper. Original story belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien._

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It was the afternoon by the time the company woke up. Well, all but Piper were waking up. The lack of sleep really caught up to her, especially after the adrenaline kick she got thanks to the trolls. Bilbo noticed the young woman's still sleeping form and sighed; the Hobbit wasn't too keen on waking his friend up knowing she needed the sleep. "Piper, it's time we got a move on," he said gently shaking her shoulder.

The twenty-three year old's eyes opened before she yawned (rather loudly which was normal) and she stretched. She remained laying down for a moment as her brain began taking everything in; as she stared at the trees above her, her eyes scrunched up in confusion until she sat up, stood, and continued to stretch her body which resulted in many joints popping; the pops started at her ankles as she stretched and continued up her body until her neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists popped. At the sound of her joints cracking, some of the Dwarves looked at her and stared. "That doesn't sound healthy," Fili pointed out.

"Probably not," Piper answered as she started gathering her items together. "I stopped caring about many things that are considered 'unhealthy'. I've had a ton of issues since I was a kid."

The young woman continued gathering her items as breakfast was being made. The other Dwarves were gathering together the gold and other treasures that they got from the troll hoard. Once Piper finished, she watched everyone in silence; her body wasn't one for much activity after just waking up. She just stared as her mind finally spaced out. Well, until Bilbo started waving a hand in front of her face. "Sorry," she muttered. "I'm still not one-hundred percent awake..."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Bilbo tried to clarify.

"Yeah, I just need to wake up..." she answered rubbing her eyes. "Coffee would definitely help..."

Satisfied with his answer, Bilbo nodded and stood next to his friend. Soon the food was ready and everyone was eating. Once everyone was done, they went to a nearby river to bury the treasure and put protective spells around it in case they came back. In seemingly no time the company were all back on their ponies and continued East towards the Lonely Mountain.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked Gandalf as they rode.

"To look ahead," the wizard replied.

"And what brought you back in the nick of time?" the Dwarf prince pressed.

"Looking behind," Gandalf answered.

"Exactly!" Thorin exclaimed. "But could you be more plain?"

"I went on to spy out our road. It will soon become dangerous and difficult. Also, I was anxious about replenishing our small stock of provisions. I had not gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine from Rivendell."

"Where's that?" Bilbo asked.

"Don't interrupt!" Gandalf said. "You will get there in a few days now, if we're lucky, and find out all about it. As I was saying, I met two of Elrond's people. They were hurrying along out of fear of the trolls. They were the ones who told me that three of them had come down from the mountains and settled in the woods not far from the road: they had frightened everyone away from the district, and the waylaid strangers.

"I immediately had a feeling that I was wanted back. Looking behind I saw a fire in the distance and made for it. So now you know. Please be more careful next time or we shall never get anywhere!"

"Thank you," Thorin said.

Silence remained over the company for the remainder of the day. They did once again set up camp again that night under the stars. Piper's mind wasn't exactly kind to her that day; her depression and uncertainty corrupted her thoughts to the point where she distanced herself a bit from the company. This went unnoticed by the group much to her darker side's relief. As they set up camp, the young woman set her sleeping area up a little ways away from the group; she wanted to be alone for the time being. Once she finished, she climbed a nearby tree and took in her surroundings. The world of Middle Earth was truly gorgeous. Piper's blue eyes wondered up to the stars, and she sighed; she missed her home.

The female didn't hear someone else climbing the tree, nor did she notice that she was being looked at. "You've been rather quiet," Fili pointed out which caused Piper to jump slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he added.

"No, you're fine," she responded before returning her attention to the night sky.

Fili looked at their female companion before also looking up. "Have you not seen the stars before?" he asked.

Piper shook her head, "That's not it... I've just not seen them so bright... I'm also seeing if I can spot any familiar constellations..."

"Do you usually enjoy looking at the stars?" Fili questioned.

The brunette looked at the Dwarf to find him once again looking at her. Piper looked down as she drew her knees in. "I sometimes did. I couldn't always find the constellations. Orion's belt usually was the easiest to spot... I found them to be the one constant in the life I knew before I met Bilbo..." she answered.

"How did you meet Bilbo?"

"I was lost; one day I was in a forest I didn't recognize... I was alone with no one... I spent the majority of the day wondering around trying to find something. The next day I found the Shire, and Bilbo was kind enough to let me stay. He's been a really good friend to me every since... he didn't have to take me in, but he did," Piper finally answered after a minute of staying quiet. "He saw something in an absolute stranger despite of me not having anything to offer."

Fili watched as the young woman's facial expression scrunched up in distraught as she went on. She was in pain, and whatever was causing it she didn't want to talk about. Tears started for form in Piper's eyes causing the young woman to aggressively wipe at her eyes. "To suddenly be forced into a situation with nothing to your name other than the clothes on your back and whatever belongings that happened to be near you... it makes you feel so much more insignificant... As I told Balin, I'm helping you guys because you have a chance to get everything back... I try not to let myself think about it, but the silence is cruel and my mind likes to torture me," she continued. "And even thought I think I can be of use, I know my presence doesn't make that much of a difference..."

"You can't go back to your home?" the Dwarf asked after a moment.

Piper shook her head in response, "No, but even if I could, I don't know how everything would work out... something happened that can't be undone." The young female let out a dry laugh before weakly smiling at the Dwarf. "I guess one of the benefits of this is I don't have anything to lose if I were to die. No one to mourn for me, no family to cry over me and swear at everyone for letting me die... it's a bittersweet feeling," she stated. _'At least not again...'_ she finished in her brain.

"Do you not fear death?"

"I'd be lying if I said no. It's not the part of actually dying, but the how I will die..."

"Why do you think so much about death?"

"Because anything could happen at any given time. For example, I could die in my sleep tonight."

"But if you're dwelling on death, are you really living?"

Piper stared at Fili as she pondered his question. "It's not," she began, "but I'm not worried about my life."

"What are you worried about?"

"I'll tell you once we cross the mountain pass... I think it'll be good to do so then."

Fili frowned at her answer, "That's a good while away, and we may not even take that road."

"Maybe so, but it'll be the best time. Trust me when I say that," Piper finished before once again looking at the sky. After a moment she smiled to herself. "Enough about me though; look, I can see Orion's belt," she stated pointing up at the stars. "It's those three stars."

"What is Orion's belt?"

"Well, it's the belt of the constellation of Orion, who is a hunter in Greek mythology. That, however, is a story for a different time. You can't see the constellation too well, but it's that grouping of stars," Piper explained as she continued to point. "And look, that group is called 'The Big Dipper', and if you follow it, it's connected to 'Ursa Major, the Great Bear'!"

Fili followed her finger as she continued to point out constellations and other familiar star groupings. "You really did a lot of star gazing, huh?" he asked.

"It took the edge off after a stressful day. Seeing patterns in something so simple yet extraordinary has always been a hobby of mine. For example, when I was younger I always saw sleeping dragons in a group of hills, saw patterns in clouds, and so on. My imagination has always been something that got away with me."

"Definitely sounds like it," he chuckled.

Piper smiled at the young Dwarf. "Thank you. I didn't realize how much I needed to be distracted from myself," she said. "I am my worst enemy when I'm alone."

"We may not know you or Bilbo too well, but we do care. You're willing to help us where others wouldn't."

"Bilbo loves adventures whether he admits it or not. As for me, I've always been the type to give anyone the shirt off my back it they needed it. I love helping if I can."

Fili smiled before he started to climb down. "It's best we got some rest before our journey tomorrow," he stated.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Piper hummed before following after the Dwarf. "Thank you for listening to my ranting."

"It's not a problem, lass," Fili replied; he headed to his blankets next to his brother Kili.

The twenty-three year old sighed as she sat on her mess of blankets and watched the company from where she sat. It was clear that they were all close friends and family; it hurt knowing hers were gone forever. _'I wonder if they're getting on with their lives okay,'_ she thought. _'Are they missing me as much as I miss them? Or more?'_ Shaking her head of those thoughts, Piper went underneath her blanket and curled up to keep herself warm. It took an hour or so, but sleep eventually came over her.

The following morning Piper woke up to find Bilbo, Fili, and Kili sleeping not too far from her. She stared at her still sleeping companions; the young woman knew she was alone last night, so seeing them there currently made her mind draw a blank. Piper shrugged her shoulders before walking into the woods a little ways to relieve herself. When the company first started out it took her a moment to get used to the wilderness (Not having a proper bathroom, not being able to bathe regularly, and so on), but she was enjoying the experience for the most part Well, minus the chance of death by the trolls and the upcoming goblins.

Once her task was finished, she made her way back to camp to find the rest of the company waking up. She went back to her spot before rolling up her blankets. "Morning sleepy heads," she said to the three near her.

"Good morning," the three replied in their own time.

Piper smiled at them as she finished gathering her items and stretching. The morning went by in mostly silence as they ate, packed, and once again went on their way. Everyone was quiet as they made their way along the road, and Piper was going stir crazy. Not liking the silence, she pulled out her iPod and earphones before hitting shuffle. The young woman loved her music more than anything other than reading. She hummed along to Air Supply's Lost in Love as they trotted along; now Piper wasn't the best singer, but she could sing if she tried. As for what she was listening to, it was nostalgic for her since her dad had listened to Air Supply quite a bit. She herself usually wasn't one for romantic songs.

Bilbo looked at her and noticed the white headphones; it was weird and unusual in his eyes. "What is that?" he asked; he wasn't aware that Piper wasn't able to hear him due to her zoning out.

Fili and Kili looked at each other, grinned, then road up to both sides of Piper; Kili ended up taking the iPod and looking at it like it was a snake with two heads.

"Hey!" Piper said as he pulled the device away which caused her earbuds to fall out.

"What is this?" Kili asked as he looked over it.

"It's an electronic that plays music," the young woman answered.

Curious, the Dwarf took an earphone and mimicked Piper when he had seen it in her ear. Kili's face scrunched up in confusion at the sound. "I've never heard anything like this. What language is it?" he asked.

"It's English, and the music is going to be a lot different than what you've ever heard," Piper tried to explain. "Can I have it back?"

Kili handed the iPod back to Piper. "Can you sing?" he asked; singing was one of the many hobbies that Dwarves took up.

"Kinda; I'm not exactly the best when it comes to singing. I've gotten better, but I'm nowhere near perfect," she answered.

"I'd like to hear someday," Fili cut in.

"As would I," Bilbo added.

Piper blushed and looked down," I won't promise anything. I'm shy when it comes to singing."

Silence once again fell over the company as they made it to a thicker part of the forest. It wasn't the time to talk or sing since anything could be nearby. The weather continued to improve, but the fear of danger kept them from making much noise. Anytime the group set up camp to eat, the group took note that they had to further cut their portions. The horses pretty much had a banquet though since there was plenty of grass to eat. One morning they crossed a river at a wide shallow place, and once they made it up a steep and slippery bank, they saw that the great mountains had marched down very near to them. Piper thought it looked beautiful despite how dreary it looked. "Is that _The_ mountain?" Bilbo asked solemnly.

"Of course not!" Balin answered. "That is only the beginning of the Misty Mountains, and we have got to get through, over, or under those somehow before we can get to the Wilderland beyond. And it is a deal of a way even from the other side of them to the Lonely Mountain in the East where Smaug lies on our treasure."

"Oh..." Bilbo said in dismay.

Gandalf soon let the way as they continued on their way. Piper knew why he did; they couldn't miss the road or they wouldn't be able to find Rivendell, or the proper path to lead them through the Misty Mountains. One false turn and they would have to start all over if they even managed to get back. This area was dangerous and she knew it. Morning soon passed and afternoon came, but there was still no sign of any dwelling.

The company came upon unexpected valleys that were narrow with steep sides, bogs, gullies, waterfalls, and even dark ravines. Not ever seeing anything like it before, Piper took the beauty in as they followed the path of white stones. Even with Gandalf leading it was a slow and challenging journey. Night time came around, and finally they came across the valley. "Here it is at last!" the wizard called.

Everyone gathered around Gandalf and looked over the edge of the slope they were on. The company made their way down the steep and winding path into the secret valley of Rivendell. The air steadily got warmer with their decent much to Piper's relief, and the smell of pine came over her senses. The young woman noticed Bilbo nodding off and smiled to herself. Still the company carried on, and as they did their spirits rose. They soon passed birch and oak trees, and the atmosphere was finally feeling comfortable. Soon they found themselves in an open glad not far above the banks of a stream. Suddenly there was a burst of song like laughter in the trees. _"Oh! What are you doing, And where are you going? Your ponies need shoeing! The river is flowing! Oh! tra-la-la-lally here down in the valley!"_ the elves sang.

Piper found herself laughing with the elves as they continued their song while they hid in the trees. "Well well!" said a voice. "Just look! Bilbo the Hobbit on a pony, my dear!"

"Most astonishing and wonderful!" another replied.

Once again the elves broke out into song, and finally a tall young fellow came out of the trees and bowed to Gandalf and Thorin. "Welcome to the valley!" he said.

"Thank you," Thorin said gruffly; he noticed Gandalf was already off his horse and chatting with the elves.

"You are a little out of your way," the elf stated, "that is, if you're making your way to the only path across the water to get to the house beyond. We will set you right, but it would be best to go on foot until you are over the bridge. Are you going to stay with us and sing for a bit, or are you planning on leaving straight away? I can smell the wood fires for supper if you're wanting to move ahead."

After they said their goodbyes (the Dwarves were hungry) and dismounted their horses, they led them to the Last Homely House; they were soon upon the narrow bridge was only as wide as the ponies themselves. Slowly but surely the company made their way over the bridge as the elves teased the company. Gandalf finally big the laughing elves goodnight (they were being a bit too merry in his opinion at that moment), and the elves went on their merry way. At last they had made it to the Last Homely House and found the doors opened up wide.

Elrond was a gracious host to the company, and Piper truly enjoyed learning about their culture. The female had also decided to take advantage of the wash room when she could since she knew they would be there in Rivendell for fourteen days. Piper was enjoying the weather in June during their break in travel, and this also allowed her to think about the next event in their journey: the goblins. This was another thing they couldn't avoid because this was where Bilbo would get the ring of power; the One Ring was crucial for the entirety of Middle Earth not just this point in time. She also had to make sure she didn't reveal it was the ring of power so Frodo could go on his journey later on in the future.

Piper sighed as she leaned over the railing; Rivendell was truly a breathtaking place. Even at night the place just seemed magical in her eyes. Her worries seemed to disappear into the night as she watched the elves go about their own business. She stood in her pajamas and was absorbing everything in when Gandalf decided to join her; the two stood in silence for a short bit. "It's quite the view, isn't it?" the wizard finally asked.

"Yes, it is. I've never seen anything like it before. I know we've been here for a few days now, but I still can't get over it," Piper replied.

"You haven't seen a lot since we started our journey. You've been looking at it as if everything is new," Gandalf pointed out.

Piper was silent for a moment before deciding to open up a bit. She decided to do this to make her story more believable later. "Because it is," she began. "Everything here is new to me. I can't reveal too much just yet, but I know things because of where I'm from. Certain things must happen, and things cannot stray too much or things can go very wrong. For example, once Elrond reads the moon ruins and we take the mountain pass, something will happen, and it must for the better of all Middle Earth. Bilbo must find something."

Gandalf just carefully listened as she spoke quietly. "So we are to take the mountain pass?" he questioned.

Piper nodded, "And when it starts to storm we have to take shelter in the cave."

"I knew there was something that you were aware of, but to think you know the future if what you say is true..."

"I will only know it if things do not change," Piper explained. "If things don't stay on course, I cannot say what will happen."

Gandalf accepted her answer, and after talking about the journey so far, the two bid each other goodnight before retreating to their temporary rooms.

* * *

 _Okay, so before you guys say anything about the constellations, in an interview with J.R.R. Tolkien, Tolkien does stated that Middle Earth is just an older Earth, so it is the same planet and same universe as our own, just a different time line._

 _The elves singing and teasing is actually in book for those wondering who have not read the book (it's quite amusing to me, but then again I get amused by everything). If anyone is reading this and has not read the book, I recommend doing so because it's a good book; the movies were just okay and they added a lot of things that weren't really mentioned (if it was, then it wasn't important for the story such as bolg, sauron, sarumon). Not to mention I thought it was stupid that the movies added the drama between the elves and the dwarves in the movie. Yes, in the book it says that the two don't get along, but it's because the elves tease the dwarves of their beards._

 _On a side note, I'm still not sure if I should do a pairing. If I do, who do you think I should partner Piper with?_


End file.
